Variable motion vibrating screen



Feb. 22, 1966 c. c. POYNTER VARIABLE MOTION VIBRATING SCREEN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 14, 1963 INVENTOR. Corbin C. Poynner Fig 4 .4 TTORNE V Feb. 22, 1966 c. c. POYNTER 3,236,331

VARIABLE MOTION VIBRATING SCREEN Filed May 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

Corbin C. Poynier MW 5 W ATTORNE V United States Patent 3,236,381 "ARIABLE MOTION VIBRATING SCREEN Corbin C. Poynter, Downers Grove, 11]., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., 3 corporation of Illinois Filed May 14, 1963, Ser. No. 280,226 9 Claims. (Cl. 209-625) The present invention relates to vibrating screens or separators and more particularly to a vibrating screen or separator having an adjustable path of travel.

In the operation of vibrating screens, it is often desirable to change the ratio of horizontal and vertical components of motion to account for the stickiness of damp materials, the fluidity of dry materials or materials of different densities.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a variable screening motion to accommodate materials under various conditions of operation.

A further object is to provide a manual selector for changing the screening motion of a vibrating screen.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description together with the drawmgs.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view of the operative portions of a vibrating screen;

FIG. 2 is a transverse section view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section view similar to FIG- URE 1 showing a modified form of the vibrating screen;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of one path of travel for the screen; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration, similar to FIGURE 5, illustrating another path of travel for the screen.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 10 indicates a vibrating screen having a base or support 11, a screen frame 12, connecting links 13, and a reciprocatory drive for imparting oscillation to the screen frame. The drive has a motor 14 driving a variable diameter pulley 16. A belt 17 is driven by pulley 16 and drives pulley 18. Driven pulley 18 is connected to an eccentric shaft 19, mounted in pillow blocks 21. Motor 14 and pillow blocks 21 are mounted on base 11. Pulley 16, belt 17 and pulley 18 form a variable speed drive which is useful for changing the frequency of operation. Eccentric 19 drives a connecting rod 22 which may be adjustable for length to compensate for different initial positions of screen frame 12. Rod 22 is connected to screen frame 12 by means of pin 23, connector 24 and elastic member or resilient connection 26. Elastic member 26 permits an amplitude of movement in the screen frame which is greater than the amplitude provided by eccentric 19 and connecting rod 22. Such driving arrangements are sometimes called harmonic drives. The amplitude of screen frame movement can be governed by adjustable stops 27, 28. Stops 27 and 28 can also be adjusted to account for the horizontal shifting of the screen frame when its initial position is changed.

Screen frame 12 has longitudinal and transverse interior frame members 31, 32 forming supports for screen cloth 33. Screen cloth 33 is held in place by stretcher bars 34. Screen frame 12 has outwardly extending stub shafts 36 pivotally engaging connecting links 13. The lower ends of links 13 are keyed to torsion bar 37 by keys 38. Torsion bars 37 have their ends supported on base 11 by pillow blocks 39. The mid portion of torsion bar 37 is keyed to base 11 by keys 41 in a socket or support block arrangement formed of a longitudinal member 42 and bosses 43. It should be noted that a plurality ice of key slots can be provided in the socket to accommodate a variety of angular positions for links 13. Also, it is possible to dispense with keys and key slots and use splined members or a torsion bar having a polygonal section socketed in a polygonal aperture.

The different angular positions for link 13 provided by the above described arrangement result in diiferent initial positions for screen frame 12. These different initial positions result in movement along different portions of an arcuate path of travel, each portion having a different ratio of horizontal and vertical components.

Different ratios of horizontal and vertical components are illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6 where the operating range of links 13 is indicated by broken lines extending radially from torsion bars 37. The arc length 46 to 47 is equal to the arc length 53 to 54 and represents the amplitude of movement of screen frame 12. Although arc lengths 46 to 47 and 53 to 54 are equal to each other, they occur over different portions of the same arcuate path and therefore have different horizontal and vertical components. For example, comparison of FIGURES 5 and 6 shows that horizontal component 48 to 49 is shorter than corresponding horizontal component 56 to 57 and that vertical component 51 to 52 is longer than corresponding vertical component 58 to 59. Thus, by changing the initial angular position of link 13, it is possible to impart a different vertical or horizontal movement to the screen frame and material resting on it. Provisions for imparting a greater vertical component of movement is beneficial for screening wet sticky material by generating a more vigorous screening action while retaining the material over the screening area for a longer period of time. The vertical action also results in the breaking up of the bed of material where it tends to stick together and choke the screen.

Provisions for imparting a greater horizontal component of movement is beneficial for screening dry, freerunning material by moving it over the screen cloth at a faster rate, thus increasing the capacity of the vibrating screen.

FIGURES 3 and 4 are generally similar to FIGURES 1 and 2 and illustrate a modification of the invention in which the initial position of the screen frame can be steplessly adjusted. In FIGURES 3 and 4 the screen frame is indicated by the numeral 61 and is supported by convnecting links 62 on base 63. Reciprocatory motion is applied to screen frame 61 by eccentric 64, connecting rod 66 and spring connection 67. The spring connec tion 67 is similar to resilient member 26 in that it permits the screen frame to travel through an amplitude of movement greater than the throw of the eccentric. Stops 68 and 69 are also provided to limit the amplitude of movement to some preselected maximum value. These stops engage the faces 77 and 78 on screen frame 61. Connecting links 62 are fastened to the ends of torsion bars 71. The mid portion of each torsion bar 71 is connected to the gear portion 74 of a worm and gear set. The worm portion 76 of the gear set is connected to a shaft 72 to which a ratchet device 73 can be attached. The reduction ratio of the gear set is preferably in the self-locking range, however a non-self-locking gear set could be used with auxiliary locking means.

When it is desired to change the vertical component of travel of the screen, ratchet handle 73 is operated to rotate worm 76. Worm 76 turns gear 74 which changes the initial angularity of links 62 and the initial position of screen frame 61. Changing the initial position of screen frame 61 results in different horizontal and vertical components of the path of travel as described above in connection with FIGURES 5 and 6. Thus a manual selector is provided for changing screen motion to obtain optimum operating conditions.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various modifications can be practiced within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A separator comprising, in combination:

a screen-like member,

a support for the member,

an arrangement for enabling the member to have oscillating motion relative to the support through movement having vertical and horizontal components, said arrangement comprising,

a linkage connected with said member,

a drive for actuating said member,

structure for controlling the oscillating motion of the member,

said structure comprising,

elongate torsion bar means having the end portions thereof rotatable relative to the support,

said end portions of the torsion bar means being connected with said linkage and movable therewith when said member is actuated by said drive, and

a device disposed intermediate the end portions of the torsion bar means and connected with said support for initially rotatably positioning the torsion bar mean to vary the components of the oscillating motion of the member while restraining the intermediate portion of the torsion bar means against rotation during such oscillating motion.

2. The separator as defined in claim 1 wherein said device comprises:

block-like means carried by said support,

said block-like means having an aperture therethrough,

and

a key,

at least one of said means having a plurality of slots therein to enable said key to selectively connect said torsion bar means and said block-like means in any one of a plurality of relative positions.

3. The separator .as defined in claim 1 wherein said device comprises:

a block mounted to said support,

said block having an internally splined aperture therethrough, and

said torsion bar means has a plurality of external splines thereon for enabling said block and said torsion bar means to be selectively interengaged in any one of a plurality of positions.

4. The separator as defined in claim 1 wherein said device comprises:

a support block mounted to said support,

said support block having a polygonal aperture therethrough, and

said torsion bar means is provided with a polygonal shaped section for engaging the aperture of the support block to enable said support block and said tor- .sion bar means to be selectively interengaged in any one of a plurality of positions.

5. The separator as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive comprises:

a powered eccentric mechanism connected with the support, and

a resilient connection between said mechanism and said member to enable said member to move along a path having greater amplitude than the amplitude of the movement of said mechanism.

6. The separator as defined in claim 1 together with adjustable stops carried by said support for contact by said member to limit the movement of said member.

7. The separator as defined in claim 1 wherein said device comprises:

gearing mounted to said support and said torsion bar means to enable said torsion bar means to be rotated relative to said support,

8. The separator as defined in claim 7 wherein said gearing is self-locking.

9. The separator as defined in claim 7 wherein said gearing comprises:

a worm carried by said support, and

a pinion connected to said torsion bar means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 287,195 10/1883 Tobey et a1 74-26 X 924,296 6/1909 Troxell 209-344 1,011,680 12/1911 Wall 74-26 1,074,301 9/1913 Trother 209-329 1,783,617 12/1930 Haselaw 209-344 2,208,127 7/ 1940 Hallerbeck 209-329 2,601,411 6/ 1952 McLauchlan 209-329 2,950,819 8/1960 Holman 209-332 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,047,708 12/ 1958 Germany.

576,051 3/ 1946 Great Britain.

85,082 12/ 1935 Sweden.

HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner.

R. HALPER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SEPARATOR COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A SCREEN-LIKE MEMBER, A SUPPORT FOR THE MEMBER, AN ARRANGEMENT FOR ENABLING THE MEMBER TO HAVE OSCILLATING MOTION RELATIVE TO THE SUPPORT THROUGH MOVEMENT HAVING VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL COMPONENTS, SAID ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING, A LINKAGE CONNECTED WITH SAID MEMBER, A DRIVE FOR ACTUATING SAID MEMBER, STRUCTURE FOR CONTROLLING THE OSCILLATING MOTION OF THE MEMBER, SAID STRUCTURE COMPRISING, ELONGATE TORSION BAR MEANS HAVING THE END PORTIONS THEREOF ROTATABLE RELATIVE TO THE SUPPORT, SAID END PORTIONS OF THE TORSION BAR MEANS BEING CONNECTED WITH SAID LINKAGE AND MOVABLE THEREWITH WHEN SAID MEMBER IS ACTUATED BY SAID DRIVE, AND A DEVICE DISPOSED INTERMEDIATE THE END PORTIONS OF THE TORSION BAR MEANS AND CONNECTED WITH SAID SUPPORT FOR INITIALLY ROTATABLY POSITIONING THE TORSION BAR MEAN TO VARY THE COMPONENTS OF THE OSCILLATING MOTION OF THE MEMBER WHILE RESTRAINING THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF THE TORSION BAR MEANS AGAINST ROTATION DURING SUCH OSCILLATING MOTION. 